If you’re dreaming about updating your curb appeal and your brain isn’t buzzing about bulbs, it’s high time to focus! Because now that spring is here, bulbs are the key to stepping out of your front door to a sea of beautiful floral colors everywhere you look.
Of course, there are rules to gardening—like when to plant what—and if “bulbs” isn’t helpful enough for you, reveals exactly the type of flowers you should be tucking away for the lushest results.
First, many spring-flowering annuals, perennials (which come back every year) and shrubs can be planted in spring. But other spring-bloomers, such as daffodils, must be planted in fall. So, read the plant tag or description before buying so you know what to expect. Also, pay attention to what kind of light your garden gets.
Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day; the part sun is about half that. Shade means an area doesn’t get any direct sunlight or only early morning sun.
And if you’re planting shrubs or perennials, know your USDA Hardiness zone so you choose plants that will survive winter in your part of the country. Now, pull on your favorite gardening gloves, and start planting these stunning spring flowers.
Here’s what you should know.
Daffodils
Long-lived daffodils are one of the easiest to grow and most popular spring-flowering bulbs. If you think you know all about daffodils, consider that there are more than 50 species and more than 25,000 registered cultivars or hybrids. There is more to daffodils than the pretty yellow trumpet flowers that cheer up the spring landscape.
There is no data on how long a daffodil plant can live, but a stand of daffodil bulbs can easily outlive the person who plants them. You can often tell where a house foundation used to be because of the outline provided by the daffodils that were planted around it.
Daffodils thrive best in full sun to partial shade. Daffodils bloom best in full sun, but a little dappled spring shade should not affect them greatly.
Daffodil plants prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. As with most bulbs, they require excellent drainage or they will rot. Since daffodils can survive for years, you will want to find a spot where they do not have to sit in waterlogged soil.
Hyacinths
Hyacinths are perennial bulbs and are often planted directly in the ground outdoors, though these easy bulbs are also excellent for forcing in container gardens or being made to flower indoors during the winter.
For the strongest and farthest-reaching scent, grow hyacinth in large blocks. Hyacinth also mixes well with any of the spring-blooming bulbs, since they come in so many colors and sizes. Their spiky flower stalks make a nice counterpoint to cup-shaped tulips and ruffled daffodils.
Plant your hyacinth bulbs in full sun to partial shade. As with all spring bulbs, hyacinths sprout, bloom, and start to fade into dormancy before deciduous trees fully leaf out, so you don’t have to worry about too much shade from nearby trees. Hyacinth is early bloomers that bloom in late winter or early spring, depending on your hardiness zone.
Hyacinth bulbs are not particular about soil pH, but they do best in a soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. They will not tolerate wet soils. Rich soil can lead to floppy hyacinth, so go easy on the organic matter when preparing or amending the soil.
Primrose
Primrose flowers (Primula polyantha) bloom in early spring, offering a variety of form, size, and color. They are suitable for use in garden beds and borders as well as in containers or for naturalizing areas of the lawn. In fact, when given the proper growing conditions, these vigorous plants will multiply each year, adding stunning colors to the landscape.
Blooming often lasts throughout summer and in some areas, they will continue to delight the fall season with their outstanding colors. Most primrose flowers seen in gardens are Polyanthus hybrids, which range in color from white, cream and yellow to orange, red and pink. There are also purple and blue primrose flowers. These perennial plants prefer damp, woodland-like conditions.
Growing primrose is easy, as these plants are quite hardy and adaptable. You can find primrose perennials at most garden centers and nurseries. Look for primroses that are healthy in appearance, preferably with unopened buds.
Tulips
Long live the tulip! This brightly colored jewel brightens our days in early spring. We truly look forward to seeing those blue-green leaves start to emerge as the Earth awakens from its winter sleep! Here are our tips on how to plant and care for tulips.
Tulips normally begin emerging from the ground in March. If mild winter weather causes premature growth, the danger is not as great as it may seem. Tulips (and daffodils) have braved these cold temperatures before and quite tolerant. If winter temperatures return, it may delay growth. The snow is helpful, discouraging additional growth and protecting the foliage from extreme cold.
Although tulips are a perennial from a botanical perspective, many centuries of hybridizing means that the bulb’s ability to come back year after year has weakened. Therefore, many gardeners treat them as annuals, planting new bulbs every autumn. The North American climate and the soil can’t replicate the ancient Anatolian and southern Russian conditions of their birth. Gardeners in the western mountain region of the U.S. come closest to this climate and may have more success perennializing their tulips.
Camellia
Camellias are dense shrubs with brilliant foliage. They offer bright, long-blooming flowers, and serve as popular foundation and specimen plants. The trick to growing a camellia plant without too much effort is to plant it correctly.
The genus Camellia, part of the Theaceae family, includes several common ornamental cultivars. C. japonica and C. sasanqua are the species most common in nurseries and catalogs. You may also find hybrids between species, developed by breeders who wish to add new colors and cold hardiness to the market.
Camellias are evergreen shrubs with dark, glossy leaves. Flowers may be white, pink, red, or streaked, and blooms can be single or double. Camellia sinensis yields flowers that produce tea but is not as ornamental as the other cultivars.
Unlike many blooming plants, rhododendron does not like the full morning sun in winter and does best when planted in dappled shade on the north side of a building. Growing rhododendrons are happiest in a location protected from the wind and not under eves of a building.